The Early Invention of the so-called Laffer Curve and the Mathematics of the Progressive Tax in the Italian Tradition

Journal title HISTORY OF ECONOMIC THOUGHT AND POLICY
Author/s Mario Pomini
Publishing Year 2022 Issue 2022/2 Language English
Pages 17 P. 77-93 File size 121 KB
DOI 10.3280/SPE2022-002003
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The theories of progressive income taxation developed in the Italian debate of the last century have been discussed in depth in a review article by Domenican-tonio Fausto (2008). Italian economists have taken an active part in the debate on the progressive taxation of income and wealth. In general, despite a few oppo-nents, the idea of progressive taxation is agreed upon for political and social rea-sons. In this broad debate on progressivity developed in Italy, there is also an ana-lytical path that Fausto’s article does not consider. The first mathematical contri-bution on this topic was put forward by Tullio Martello in his polemic book against the progressive tax, La progressività in teoria e in pratica (1895). The debate was concluded in the 1950s by a mathematical economist and follower of Pareto, Raf-faele D’Addario. D’Addario is worth considering because he explicitly introduced the revenue curve. The decreasing part is well known today as the Laffer curve.

Keywords: History Progressive Taxation; Early Laffer Curve; History of Italian Public Finance.

Jel codes: B26, B30

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Mario Pomini, The Early Invention of the so-called Laffer Curve and the Mathematics of the Progressive Tax in the Italian Tradition in "HISTORY OF ECONOMIC THOUGHT AND POLICY" 2/2022, pp 77-93, DOI: 10.3280/SPE2022-002003